Anchor

ABSTRACT

An anchor having a shank and a fluke, which is formed by a flat plate and the shank is fixedly secured to the plate at an angle Alpha , which is smaller than 45*, and preferably 32*.

United States Patent [1 1 Klaren [4 1 .iuly31,1973

[ ANCHOR [76] Inventor: Petrus Jozef Klaren, Frankenrode 3,

Nieuwerkerk A/D ljssel, Netherlands [22] Filed: Feb. 19, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 116,881

[52] US. Cl. 114/207 [51] Int. Cl. B6311 21/32 [58] Field of Search 114/206 R, 207, 208 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,674,969 4/1954 Danforth 114/207 4/1937 Northrop et al. 114/207 2,743,695 5/1956 Bowman 114/207 2,591,236 4/1952 Christie... 114/208 R 3,022,762 2/1962 Hillcourt. 114/208 R 2,380,119 7/1945 Northrop 114/208 R Primary Examiner-Duane A. Reger Assistant ExaminerGalen L. Barefoot Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman [5 7 ABSTRACT An anchor having a shank and a fluke, which is formed by a flat plate and the shank is fixedly secured to the plate at an angle a, which is smaller than 45, and preferably 32.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJULBHW I 3,749,044

SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR.

1 ANCHOR The invention relates to an anchor having a shank and a fluke connected thereto.

Such anchors are generally used for anchoring workvessels, such as dredgers, suction dredgers and other such vessels in which the anchors are brought out in different directions from the workvessel and connccted with thevcssel by means of long cables. By haul-. ing in the cables on one side of the vessel and paying out the cables on the other side, the vessel can each time be warped to a desired position.

The anchors are sometimes brought out by the vessel herself, but often also by auxiliary vessels, the anchors being lowered on the sea or river bed with their flukes in downward direction by means of a cable or chain and are weighed again after completion of the work.

i A first requirement for-an anchor is that it digs itself into the bottom with the fluke, thus forming a fixed point for one end of the anchor cable. If the cable is hauled, the anchor must hold, that is, resist displacement in thedirectionin whichthe cable ishauled. It is generally known thatthe anchor owes. its holding force only partly to its own weight, but mainly to itsdiggingin capacity. Therefore, theshape of the anchor ismore important than its weight,

The object of the invention is toprovide an anchor of relatively light weight, but witha maximum'diggingin capacity, by which it developsa holdingforce which is very great as compared to its own weight.

According to the invention, there is provided an anchor having a shankanda fluke, being formed by a flat plate and the shank being fixedly secured to the plate at an angle a, which is smaller than 45.

7 In a preferred embodiment of the invention the angle between the, platev and theshank is between 30 and 38. At suchan angle between the plate and the shank the anchor digs itself easily and, rapidly deeply into, the bottom. In practice arrangle of 32 gives the best results.

Moreover, according to the invention, the flat plate and the shank maybe manufactured of steel plating. This reduces the cost of production considerably, while the strength of the shank is not inferior to that of "a forged steel anchor shank.

Moreover, according to theinvention, the flat plate may be provided with laterally. extending stabilizer wings. These wings ensure that the anchor plate, when it comesto lie in tiltedfashion on one side on the sea bed, rights itself again during digging and the face of the shank will reassumea substantially vertical position. According to. a preferred. embodiment of. the invention, theplate may have the shape of an isosceles triangle, whose apex angle is in the plane of the platelikc shank and thestabilizer wingszextend adjacent the base angles.

In a favou rable embodimcnt of theinvention, the plate is bevelled on. the leading edge and the plate-like shank is chiselshaped on, the leading and lower edge. Thislprornotes thedigging-in of both the plate and the shank of the anchor Very heavyanchorsexceeding tonsare preferably constructed. with a double shank in the shape of an A, the feet of the A being detachablyconnected with, the baseend of the fluke and the cross-beamof theA being connected with; the apex angleof the fluke by means of a support.

The invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying'drawings. In said drawings,

FIG. I is an isometric projection of the anchor;

FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view and FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the shank on the line III-III in FIG. 2,

' FIGS. 4 and 5 show a top elevational and a side elevational view, respectively, of the structure of a heavy anchor having a double shank.

As shown in the drawing, the anchor comprises a shank l of plate steel and a base plate or fluke 2 welded thereto. The angle between the plane of the base plate 2 and the axis of the shank l is preferably between 30 and 38, and in practice 32 has proved to be the best angle.

The base plate 2 is in the form of an isosceles triangle, whose apex angle 3 is in the plane of the shank l and the base angles 4 and 5 comprise laterally extending wings 6 and 7, respectively, which serve to prevent rotation of the anchor about the longitudinal axis of the shank and to raise a slanted anchor again during digging into the bottom in such a manner that it is directed downwardly with the point 3 and the face of the shank will assume a vertical position.

On the end of the shank opposite the base plate there is drilled a hole 8 for attachment of the puddening of the anchor cable (not shown). Adjacent the hole 8 and adjacent the base plate 2 cars 9,9 have been welded on the shank for attaching a cable or chain (not shown), with which the anchor is lowered or weighed after completion of the work.

To facilitate the diggingin of the base plate or fluke 2,,the leading and side edges 10 thereof are bevelled, while also the leading and lower edge 11 of the shank 1 have been made chisel-shaped.

The sharp extremities of the stabilizer wings 6 and 7 have been bent backwardly to reduce the risk of damage to vessels. For the same reason the apex angle 3 is cut off.

For anchors weighing in excess of 5 tons the shank is constructed as shown in FIG. 4, so in the form of an A.

Legs 12 and 13 of the shank are connected between the apex and the base of the A by a cross-beam 14. On the lower side thereof there is provided a steel plate support 15 whose narrowed lower end 23 is inserted through a suitable opening 24 into the base plate 16 and is connected thereto by means of a locking key 25. The ends. 17, 18 of the legs of the shank are detachably connected with the base plate by means of connecting pieces 19 and locking keys 20.

Just as an anchor with a single shank, the double shank is at its free end provided with a bore 21 for attaching the puddening (not shown) of the anchor chain. Adjacent this bore 21 a loop 22 is welded on top of the shank for attachment of a cable or chain, the anchor being dropped or, after completion of work, weighed.

I claim:

1. An anchor comprising: a fluke portion in the form of a single rib-free, stock-free, flat plate having parallel upper and lower faces, said plate being shaped as an isosceles triangle having a base edge and two side edges and having stabilizing wings having triangular shape laterally extending as a continuation of the base of the isosceles triangle which form base angles with the base edge and which form between them an apex, said plate having a stabilizer wing extending laterally at each base angle; and a shank fixed directly to the flat face of said plate and extending toward said apex at an angle of 30 to 38 with respect to said plate, said shank and said apex lying in a common plane which is perpendicular to said plate.

2. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein the angle between said shank and said plate is 32.

3. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein said shank and said plate are constructed of steel plating.

4. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein said side edges of said plate are bevelled to provide a digging-in edge along the lower surface of said plate.

5. An anchor in claim 1 wherein the apex of said plate is cut off generally parallel to the base edge to form a leading edge on said anchor, said leading edge being bevelled to provide a digging-in edge along the lower surface of said plate.

6. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein the lower edge of said shank is bevelled.

7. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein each of said stabilizer wings has a base edge formed by an extension of the base edge of said plate and a leading edge which is co-planar with and inclined with respect to the respective side edge of said plate.

8. An anchor comprising: a fluke portion in the form of a single stockfree flat plate having upper and lower faces and being shaped generally as an isosceles triangle having a straight base edge and two side edges which form between them an apex which is provided with an edge extending parallel to the base edge, said plate including two laterally extending triangular stabilizer wings each of which has a straight edge which is an extension of said straight base edge and another straight edge extending toward the longitudinal axis of said plate and merging with the respective side edge of said plate; and a shank rigidly secured at one end to the upper face of said plate at a location intermediate said base edge and said apex, said shank extending along the longitudinal axis of said plate and extending toward said apex at an angle to said plate. t 1= 

1. An anchor comprising: a fluke portion in the form of a single rib-free, stock-free, flat plate having parallel upper and lower faces, said plate being shaped as an isosceles triangle having a base edge and two side edges and having stabilizing wings having triangular shape laterally extending as a continuation of the base of the isosceles triangle which form base angles with the base edge and which form between them an apex, said plate having a stabilizer wing extending laterally at each base angle; and a shank fixed directly to the flat face of said plate and extending toward said apex at an angle of 30* to 38* with respect to said plate, said shank and said apex lying in a common plane which is perpendicular to said plate.
 2. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein the angle between said shank and said plate is 32*.
 3. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein said shank and said plate are constructed of steel plating.
 4. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein said side edges of said plate are bevelled to provide a digging-in edge along the lower surface of said plate.
 5. An anchor in claim 1 wherein the apex of said plate is cut off generally parallel to the base edge to form a leading edge on said anchor, said leading edge being bevelled to provide a digging-in edge along the lower surface of said plate.
 6. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein the lower edge of said shank is bevelled.
 7. An anchor as in claim 1 wherein each of said stabilizer wings has a base edge formed by an extension of the base edge of said plate and a leading edge which is co-planar with and inclined with respect to the respective side edge of said plate.
 8. An anchor comprising: a fluke portion in the form of a single stockfree flat plate having upper and lower faces and being shaped generally as an isosceles triangle having a straight base edge and two side edges which form between them an apex which is provided with an edge extending parallel to the base edge, said plate including two laterally extending triangular stabilizer wings each of which has a straight edge which is an extension of said straight base edge and another straight edge extending toward the longitudinal axis of said plate and merging with the respective side edge of said plate; and a shank rigidly secured at one end to the upper face of said plate at a location intermediate said base edge and said apex, said shank extending along the longitudinal axis of said plate and extending toward said apex at an angle to said plate. 